Down Memory Lane

Discover the stories that made the Gazette headlines, all those years ago.

SCHOOL TRIP: It’s amazing to think that all the young Carluke High School pupils in our picture will be old age pensioners today! Indeed, one of them, the person who kindly sent us this picture, John Nicol, is now 72 years old. John, in turn, received it recently from his brother George and the two would like to put some names to the faces here, with the help of Gaxette readers. John is pictured first right of centre, wearing a kilt and he thinks it is of the Carluke High trip to Belgium in 1953. On the way there, it stopped off to visit Westminster Abbey which is where John thinks the picture was taken with the gentleman in the glasses possibly the area’s MP of the day, Patrick Maitland. He’s sent a copy to the Maitland family to confirm this or otherwise. Anyone who can fill in the gaps as to who else is pictured here, please contact the Gazette offices at either 3 High Street, Carluke on 772226 or 5 Wellgate, Lanark on 678793.

50 Years Ago

n Miss Grizel Allen, The Garage, Crossford, and Mr A McLellan, Lanark, were pictured after their wedding in Crossford Parish Church.

n Carluke Agricultural Society’s annual cattle show was almost wiped out by driving rain and a near gale force wind that flattened three of the tents.

n The boiler plant at Carluke RC School was to be replaced at a cost of £267.

n A proposal to establish a gramophone record lending service to library readers in Lanarkshire had been deferred for consideration by the county education authority.

n A Forth man was fined £25 at Lanark Sheriff Court and disqualified from driving for 18 months, for driving a lorry on Kirkfieldbank Brae when unfit to do so through drink or drugs.

n A drunk farmer, whose van had hit a horse during the Lanimer Day celebrations in June was fined £35 and banned from driving for 12 months at Lanark Sheriff Court.

n Lanark United players Billy Fordyce and Eric Beveridge were both transferred to Greenock Juniors.

100 Years Ago

n Mr RPF Oatts, who for 13 years had been a member of the band of the Highland Light Infantry, was appointed bandmaster of Lanark Military Band.

n Mr Robert McKinlay of Sandilands gained the silver medal awarded to the breeder of the best bull at the Highland Show in Inverness.

n A Lesmahagow miner was fined 10s with the alternative of seven days’ imprisonment at Lanark JP Court, for permitting a dog to be in a public road on July 13 without a collar.

n A labourer was found guilty of committing a breach of the peace in Wellgate at Lanark Burgh Court. He was fined 10s with the alternative of six days’ imprisonment.

n Two Lanark men pleaded guilty at Lanark Sheriff Court to trespassing onto Castlehill Farm on June 22, in search of or in pursuit of game. One of the men shot dead a hare. A modified fine of 2s 6d with 17s 3d expenses was imposed in each case.